How to make better lifestyle choices
Having just spent a few weeks in Argentina and Brazil on a digital detox, and feeling pretty foot-loose and fancy-free, it suddenly dawned on me that I had to do a big presentation the day after I was due to arrive back. The feeling reminded me a bit of the time I was coaching a chief financial officer through her maternity leave and return to work. When she had to attend a board meeting 10 days after giving birth to her third child, she said to me, “do I really have to?!”
How can we best deal with all the expectations we place on ourselves and others? Instead of relying solely on motivation from within, it might help to flip the picture, focusing also on reshaping your environment to inspire change. Epigenetics is an advancing area of science that explores the ways in which behavioural and environmental changes alter our gene expression. The discipline is at the forefront of preventative health, with ever-more comprehensive evidence to prove that even simple lifestyle modifications can switch key genes on or off. This has significant implications for disease risk and brain development.
Every time your brain is forced to ‘notice’ an environmental shift or trigger, it helps to habituate new, healthier behaviours. The following are some suggestions to tweak your environment – inside and out – to support more positive thoughts and behaviours this year.
Fill your cupboards and fridge with brain food.
Make healthy choices easy for yourself by filling your cupboards with brain-friendly foods. Stock up on coconut oil (the fatty acids increase levels of ketones, supplying energy to the brain), herbs and spices such as rosemary (which improves memory), and turmeric (a natural anti-inflammatory that combats symptoms associated with cognitive decline), as well as nutrient-dense nuts and seeds for healthy snacking, and high-protein foods such as quinoa and eggs to help you avoid the blood-sugar crashes that wipe out your mental energy.
Lay out your gym kit by your bed so you see it first thing.
If you can, schedule exercise first thing for an energy and brain boost. Even a 20-minute circuit or interval session will make a marked difference to your levels of concentration and focus. It’ll also deliver a mood and motivation boost, setting you up for the day to come. Just 20 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio has been found to boost levels of BDNF in the brain by 30 per cent. BDNF is a crucial growth factor for the brain, keeping brain cells functioning and active. Any exercise is better than none, too. Research shows that BDNF increases significantly after a mere seven minutes of exercise, so however much time you have to exercise will reap results.
Set a reminder on a mindfulness app.
Research shows that self-administered reminders about healthy behaviour make us more likely to stick to intended behavioural change. Most mindfulness apps have the facility to set an inbuilt reminder to meditate at a time that suits you, or if you don’t use an app, just set your own on your phone. Practicing mindfulness meditation is a sure-fire way to improve a wide range of aspects of brain function and mental health, from reducing the symptoms of anxiety to enhancing creative thought and focus. Add a positive affirmation to your reminder – something that resonates with you about achieving expectations or getting your voice heard – so that you reap the benefits of both calming your mind and boosting your positivity.
‘The Source – Open Your Mind, Change Your Life’ by Dr Tara Swart (£12.99, Vermilion) is published on 14 January.
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